


run...the sun is burning all our hopes

by pixel_perfect



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Medical Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:08:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21711961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixel_perfect/pseuds/pixel_perfect
Summary: “This wasn’t how things were supposed to be, Maya. You’re not supposed to be here. This doesn’t happen to a person like you. You’re so full of life and energy. Please don’t leave me.”
Relationships: Lucas Friar/Maya Hart
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	run...the sun is burning all our hopes

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning:Epilepsy scene. Please be careful while reading if this is triggering.

“So that’s it? Just like that? You just planned on leaving without telling me?” Maya yelled across the hallway. She didn’t mean to be this loud but Lucas wasn’t making it easy.

  
There was a small crowd gathering and Maya wished things were different. She was happy for him, she was. She was just hurt because she was the last one to find out he was going back to Texas to open a vet clinic, from Charlie Gardner of all people.

“I’m sorry, Maya.” There was pain in his eyes but his mind was set.

“Lucas, please, we can figure this out.” Maya ran towards him and cupped his face. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

“There’s nothing to figure out. I’m going to Texas to be with my family and help with the family business. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.” He grabbed her wrists.

“I thought I was your family.” Maya’s voice was a whisper.

“I’m sorry, Maya. What we had was amazing but it wasn’t meant to go this far.” He picked up his suitcase and began walking away.

“Lucas, look at me,” Maya’s voice was harsh, her eyes glassy. “If you get on that elevator, you and I, we’re done. You forget about me and everything we had.”

Lucas turned around and with tears in his eyes, he pressed the button and the elevator doors closed. Maya couldn’t believe it. Just like that, he was gone. It was funny, how in a matter of seconds your life could change.

“You need to forget about him, Maya. He has.” Maya angrily wiped the tears forming in her eyes. She walked back to her apartment.

* * *

“Maya?” Isadora got up from the couch and put down the book she was reading.

“He’s gone.” Maya closed the door behind her and collapsed on the floor.

Isadora sat down beside her. “I really thought you would convince him to stay.”

“Lucas is stubborn. There was no convincing him. Hell, he left so easily. He doesn’t even care about me.” Maya rested her head on Isadora’s shoulder.

“Hey, you don’t know that.” Isadora straightened up and put Maya’s head on her thigh.

“I do, actually.”

“Maya...”

“He didn’t even bother telling me he was leaving, Isadora. Do you know, honestly, do you even know what it feels like to have Charlie Gardner walk into your gallery with the cockiest grin and apologize to you because Lucas is leaving?” Maya got up and headed to the kitchen.

“Maybe it was easier.” Isadora sat down on the counter and started peeling an orange.

“Yeah because he’s a coward. Look, my head is hurting and I don’t feel like talking about this anymore.” She mindlessly opened and closed the refrigerator door.

Isadora put her orange wedges on a plate and headed to the living room. Maya followed after her and got some blankets out of the coat closet and set them on the couch.

“I’m gonna try and sleep off this headache.” Maya layed down on the couch.

“I could give you something to take?” Isadora offered, putting her book down and getting up.

“That’s not necessary. I’m not a fan of medicine.” Maya closed her eyes.

* * *

“Hey, Maya, the gang is coming for dinner. Zay called and said he wants to watch movies.” Isadora was setting the table.

Maya had woken up but she felt like that nap only made her feel worse. Her head was pounding.

“Okay, let me just change and I’ll come help you.”

“They’ll be here any minute, so hurry.” Isadora called out.

Maya opened her drawers, took off her shirt and jeans and changed into more comfortable clothing. She put on an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. She really wasn’t in the mood for company but thought having the gang over could be a good distraction. She fought hard. She really wanted to call Lucas, give him a piece of her mind, but she couldn’t.

“He’s gone, Maya. He doesn’t deserve any of this. He left you, you can’t be thinking about him.”

She got her phone out of her jean’s pocket, ignored all reasonable thoughts and dialed his number. It rang a few times and took her to voicemail.

“Hey, Huckleberry. Er...I mean, Lucas. You’re not my Huckleberry anymore so I have to stop calling you that. I don’t even know why I’m calling you in the first place but, here I am.” She ran a hand through her messy waves. “It’s gonna be a tough habit to break. I guess I just wanted to say that even though things ended on a bad note, I don’t hate you and I wish you the best. You’re gonna be a great vet and you’re gonna save a bunch of animal’s lives. Anyway, I’m gonna take Isadora’s advice and take something for this headache. I tried taking a nap but it made me feel worse. I love you, Huckleberry. Damn it ignore that last part, will you?”

She tossed her phone on her bed and put her dirty clothes in her laundry basket. Today was not her day. She bent down to pick up her laundry basket and felt a throbbing pain in her head that ran down her spine. It felt like needles poking her skull.

“Damn it.” She pressed a hand to her head. Her vision was blurry and she was really dizzy. Her face felt hot and the floor looked welcoming.

* * *

  
“Hey guys, come on in.” Isadora greeted the gang and took everyone’s coats.

Zay walked into the kitchen and put his dish on the counter. Riley made a dessert and put it in the refrigerator and Farkle got some glasses out and put them by the wine he had brought.

“Where’s Maya?” Zay sat down on one of the stools.

“You told her we were coming, right?” Riley leaned against the refrigerator.

“Yeah I did. She was going to change. I don’t know why she’s taking so long.” Isadora scratched her head.

“What are you saying? Do you think something happened to her?” Farkle’s voice was full of worry and he made his way to Maya’s bedroom, with everyone else following close behind.

“Hey, Maya, c’mon we’re hungry. Let’s eat.” Zay announced, a little too energetically. “Maya Papaya, where are you? This isn’t....”

“Maya!” Farkle kneeled and cupped Maya’s face when he found her on the floor. He turned her onto her back and straightened her legs. “Maya, c’mon, wake up.” He gently slapped her and pressed on her wrist to check her pulse.

“How is she?” Riley asked.

“She has a faint pulse and her breathing is shallow. How long has she been out?” He looked up at Smackle.

“I don’t...I don’t know.” The girl looked around the room.

“How do you not know?” Riley yelled and kneeled down beside Farkle.

“I need to do CPR. Riley, lift up her shirt.” Farkle instructed.

“What?” Riley couldn’t process what was happening.

“She’s unresponsive! Please, lift up her shirt.” He began compressions and giving her breaths.

Zay came back a few moments later and grabbed Isadora’s hand. They both sat down on Maya’s bed and Zay did his best to calm Isadora down.

“The ambulance will be here any minute.” Zay called out.

Shortly after, the paramedics arrived and set everything up to work on Maya. They began chest compressions and put on oxygen mask on Maya.

“What happened?” A paramedic asked.

“We don’t really know. We found her unconscious.” Farkle answered and watched as the other paramedic pressed down on Maya’s chest.

They strapped her to a gurney and put her inside the ambulance. She was still unconscious and now had a tube down her throat that was connected to an airbag that was helping her breathe.

“Maya wake up. Please wake up.” Riley pleaded and got on the ambulance. The paramedic didn’t argue with her and simply closed the doors. “I’ll see you guys at the hospital.” They heard Riley call out.

“C’mon, we can take my car.” Zay took Isadora’s hand,grabbed Maya’s phone from her bed and got his keys from the table and the trio headed out the door.

* * *

  
“What happened? How is she?” Farkle ran to Riley.

“I don’t know. They rushed her in there and told me to stay back. I don’t know anything...nobody will tell me.” Riley buried her face in Farkle’s chest.

Moments later, a doctor came out, his face was grim.

“Relatives of Maya Penelope Hart?” He called out and was met with everyone standing up from their seats.

“How is she?” Isadora asked.

“I’m afraid I don’t have the best news,” the doctor began. He skimmed through his chart and flipped through the pages. “She’s stable for now but we’re prepping her for surgery.”

“Surgery?” Zay’s eyes went wide.

“We’ve detected an irregularity in her heart. Maya suffers from dilated cardiomyopathy.”

“What does that mean?” Riley shivered as the doctor said those words.

“It means her heart is too weak and isn’t pumping enough blood. Like I said, she’s stable for now but in a few hours, she’s going in for surgery. We’re going to implant an ICD and that will help her in the meantime.”

“What happens in the meantime?” Farkle eyed the doctor’s chart carefully, trying to read what it said.

“We wait for a heart transplant. She’s going to be on the list and will hopefully have a new heart.”

  
The doctor excused himself and left to check on other patients. The gang walked the halls in silence and came to a halt when they got to Maya’s room. The room was cold and bright. The light was on and lit up the whole room. There were two chairs on each side of the bed and a big screen T.V. on the wall that was there for background noise. Farkle quickly started closing some blinds and turned off the light.

“What?” He turned back defensively. “Maya likes the dark.”  
  


They put the two chairs together and everyone sat on them the best they could. They watched as Maya slept and Isadora paid close attention to the numbers on the monitors. She looked so fragile and pale laying there. She was connected to several tubes and wires. She had a tube down her throat that was helping her breathe and Riley watched as her chest rose.

“We were supposed to have a nice dinner.” Riley spoke up after moments of silence. The only noise heard was from the monitors beeping.

“Riley, stop.” Farkle looked at her and rolled his eyes in disgust. “Do you think she wants to be sick? Hell, she probably didn’t even know and when she wakes up, we’re going to have to tell her that she needs a new heart or else she’ll die.” Farkle got up from his seat and sat by Maya on the bed. “Please be okay.” He kissed her forehead.

“I came here as fast as I could. How is she?” Lucas suddenly appeared by the doorway.

* * *

“Lucas what are you doing here?” Farkle took his hand off of Maya’s cheek.

“Isadora called me and told me everything that happened.” Lucas stepped in and leaned against the wall.

“What happened to you going to Texas?” Riley asked mindlessly.

“My flight got delayed and I listened to the voicemail Maya sent me and I got worried.” He got close to the bed and hovered over her.

“So what happens now?” Zay turned to Lucas. “Are you not going to Texas anymore?”

“No. I should’ve never considered leaving and I’m not gonna leave her like this.” Farkle got up from the bed and Lucas took his seat and sat beside her.

The gang now sat around, making small talk while Zay flipped through the channels. It felt weird and besides the beeping and hissing of the monitors, it was uncomfortably quiet. They were so used to Maya’s loud presence, that having her just lying there made them feel awkward.

“Oh will you pick one already?!” Isadora shot up and got up from her seat and examined all the machines.

“Izzy, I know we’re all tense, but calm down.” Zay put down the remote.

“Her IV bag is running low. I’ll go get a nurse.” Her voice was monotone and she walked out of the room.

Everyone else followed her and left Lucas alone in the room with Maya. He wished things were different. He wished he hadn’t said all the things he did. He hadn’t meant a single word but thought it was easier for Maya to think that so she would forget about him. He grabbed a chair and set it beside her bed and sat down.

“Three hours. I’ve been gone for three hours and this is where I find you?” He began to play with her hair and trace the veins on her arms with his finger. “This wasn’t how things were supposed to be, Maya. You’re not supposed to be here. This doesn’t happen to a person like you. You’re so full of life and energy. Please, don’t leave me.” He buried his face in her chest when the doctor walked in.

“Sir, I’m afraid you’re going to have to step out.” The doctor instructed and a male nurse walked past Lucas and lifted the bed rails and locked them in place.

“What’s going on?” There was confusion in Lucas’ voice.

“It’s time for her surgery.” The doctor checked her chart and the nurse wheeled her out of the room.

Lucas walked back to the waiting room and found everyone standing around. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Please be okay, Shortstack. He pleaded. He didn’t know how long this surgery would last so he decided to sit down and make a few phone calls.

* * *

  
“This is safe, right?” Lucas looked at the time on his phone. Maya had been in there for over an hour and he was getting worried.

“Yes it is. It’s also the only option she has while she waits for a heart transplant.” Farkle tossed the magazine he was reading and walked around the waiting room.

The doors opened and the doctor stepped out. He took off his surgical mask and nodded at the gang. They quickly got up from their seats and walked over to him.

“The surgery went well. She’s getting situated in a new room and you’ll be able to see her shortly.”

“What happens now? What do we do?” Lucas ran a hand through his hair.

“Now, you wait for her to wake up. She’s not breathing as well as we’d hope, so she’s still hooked up to a ventilator.” He looked at everyone so they could all process what he was saying. “The next forty-eight hours are crucial and you’ll all have to wear surgical cover gowns when you go in and see her.”

Isadora felt like she was going to throw up and Riley felt like her world was spinning.

“There will have to be some changes in her lifestyle.” The doctor continued. “I’ll give one of you a chart that indicates everything she can and can’t eat as well as exercises she has to do to keep herself healthy.”

* * *

  
“You can go in, Luke.” Zay patted Lucas’ shoulder and handed him the mask he had to wear. Lucas took a deep breath and braced himself.  
  


Maya was lying there. She had wrist restraints strapped to her and a gauze cloth on her chest from her surgery that her gown wasn’t covering completely. Lucas took a seat next to her and admired her.

“You look so serene.” He gently kissed her forehead. “Please make it through the night, okay?” He begged her and placed his hand on top of hers. “Don’t leave me.”

He wasn’t planning on going anywhere. He didn’t care if nurses came in and asked him to leave. He wasn’t going to leave her. He was going to be there, waiting patiently for her to wake up.

“I need you to wake up, Maya. You need to know the truth. I came back for you and I don’t plan on leaving. I need you to know that.”

After everyone else came in and left, a nurse handed Lucas some blankets and told him to call if he needed anything or saw anything unusual with Maya. He joined two chairs and spread the blankets on them and sat down. He watched Maya sleep and wiped some sweat from her forehead with a damp cloth that was inside a box on the sink. This was going to be a long night. Thinking of what do, he took out his phone and scrolled through pictures in his photo gallery.  
  


“Remember this one?” He turned the phone to show Maya a picture. It was a picture of her with melted ice cream on her nose. “We went to the carnival that day and I asked you to be my girlfriend.

He scrolled through more and showed Maya all the photos he had of them together. His head was rolling back and forth when he felt a soft squeeze, followed by coughing.

“Maya?” He quickly got up from the chair and cupped Maya’s face. “Shortstack, you’re awake.” He smiled at her.

He grabbed the phone that was on the counter and dialed. Moments later a nurse walked in and examined Maya. She refilled her IV bag and connected an oxygen mask.

“Maya, you’re breathing is getting better but we’re going to monitor it for the night.” The nurse checked Maya’s gauze and changed it to a fresh one. “I need you to cough on the count of three so I can pull your breathing tube out. One, two, three.” The nurse pulled out the tube and Maya let out a painful cough.

She was given ice chips to help with the pain and the nurse put the oxygen mask on her. She left the room and left Lucas and Maya alone.

“What happened?” Maya finally spoke. Her voice was raspy and muffled from the mask and Lucas got closer.

“You’re going to be okay. That’s all that matters.” He reassured her.

“What happened, Lucas? Why am I here? Why are you here? You’re supposed to be in Texas.” She took off her mask and slowly sat up on the bed but sank back down when the restraints didn’t let her move.

“You fainted and were brought to the hospital.” He sat beside her and unbuckled the restraints. “You have a heart condition, Maya and you need a heart transplant as soon as possible.”

* * *

“What? No, that doesn’t make any sense. I was fine.” She looked around the room. “I was fine.” She says that last part mostly to herself.

  
She shifted uncontrollably in her bed, taok off her oxygen mask and ripped out the IV tube in her arm. She grunted in pain and scrambled to her feet. The bed rail was the only thing steadying her and she held onto it tightly. Lucas was by her side in an instant and held onto her waist.

“Let go of me.” She panted and did a useless attempt at breaking free. She was too weak.

“You need to lay down, Maya. You’ve been unconscious for hours and just had surgery.”

“I can’t...be here anymore.” Her breathing was getting worse. She was playing a losing game and she knew it. “I can’t be sick, Lucas.” Her eyes were getting heavy and thankfully a nurse walked in.

He picked Maya up, put her down on the bed and connected a new breathing tube to the ventilator. Lucas watched as the nurse worked and stuck the tube down Maya’s throat, pressed buttons on the machine and put a fresh IV tube in her arm.

“What are you doing?” Lucas stepped forward.

“I’m giving her a strong amount of sedation. She needs to rest and that stunt she just pulled affected her breathing. This should be enough sedation to get her through morning.” The nurse picked up the trash, tossed it in a bin and walked out the door.

“You can’t do that anymore.” He ran a hand through her hair. “They’re just trying to help you get better.” Lucas sat back down on the chair.

He straightened up Maya’s covers and kissed her forehead. “Sweet dreams, Shortstack.”

* * *

When he woke up the next morning, Maya was still sleeping. There were two nurses writing notes and changing Maya’s tubes. Riley walked in shortly after and sat down on the chair that was on the other side.

“Morning. I brought you coffee and a donut.” Riley handed the items over to Lucas.

“Thanks.” Lucas took a bite of his donut and set the coffee on the counter.

“How is she? How was her night?” Riley got up from her seat and stroked Maya’s hair. She was no longer intubated.

“She woke up, freaked out and ripped her tubes out.” Riley glanced at Maya’s arm and saw a bruise the size of a quarter. Lucas rubbed his temples and leaned back on his chair. “A nurse had to come in and sedate her. I’m waiting for her to come out of it.” He let out a deep sigh.

“Lucas, she’s gonna be okay. Maya’s a fighter, she’ll pull through this.” Riley gave Lucas a warm smile.

“She needs a new heart, Riley. It’s not that simple and her life is going to change drastically.

“It is, but she’s not alone. We’re all here for her and we’re gonna make sure she follows the rules so she can have a new heart soon.”

“Riles.” Maya opened her eyes and cleared her throat. Riley and Lucas whipped their heads and hovered over the bed.

“Hey, Peaches.” Riley rubbed Maya’s arm. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got ran over by a bus.” She sat up slowly and Lucas grabbed her arm for support.

“Understandable. You just had surgery so I need you to relax, okay?” Riley sat down at the foot of the bed.

“I’m gonna go talk to the doctor. I’ll be right back.” Lucas announced and gave Maya a kiss on the cheek.

The room was silent and there was awkward tension between the girls. Riley kept moving and decided to pace around the room as well. She kept glancing at Maya, worry written all over her features.

“Will you just sit down and stop looking at me like that? You’re making me dizzy.” Maya eyed Riley carefully who after hesitation, sat down.

“I’m not looking at you any specific way.” Riley folded her arms across her chest.

“Yeah you are and I’m sick of it. Lucas looked at me like that too and it’s really annoying.”

“Maya...”

“No, it is, okay? You don’t think I know that I’m sick? That I’m dying? I mean if we’re being technical we’re all gonna die, but I actually have an expiration date and I don’t need you or Lucas to look at me the way that you are. The universe screwed me over and now some stupid paperwork is gonna determine if I can get a new heart.” She gave out a bitter laugh. “I can’t be here anymore.” She took the covers off and tried getting up from the bed.

“What are you doing?” Riley got up from her seat and hurried over to the girl.

“I’m getting up. I can’t be here anymore.” She felt weak and it took all of her strength to get her legs to cooperate.

“Maya, please lay back down.”

“No, I’m tired of laying down. My back is hurting and I want to walk. I need to get out of here.” She grabbed her IV stand and wobbly got up from the bed. “Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna help me?” She didn’t want to admit it, but she was already tired and leaned back against the IV stand so she wouldn’t fall.

Riley sighed and swung Maya’s arm over her shoulder. “Fine, but you’re only walking down the hall. We shouldn’t even be doing this, you should really wait for the doctor.

“I’m not gonna wait. I’m going to walk whether you help me or not.” Maya took a few steps.

She was almost to the door when it swung open and Lucas stepped inside. The doctor was right behind him and walked in with a clipboard in his hand.

“Shortstack, why are you up?” Lucas took over grabbed Maya’s arm, and helped her back into bed.

“Good morning, Maya.” The doctor straightened up his glasses and skimmed through his clipboard. “I’m glad to see you up and about,that’s a good sign. Although, last night’s episode wasn’t ideal. We had to give you a strong dose of sedation.”

“What can I say? I’m not the biggest fan of hospitals.” Maya shrugged and rolled her eyes.

The doctor wasn’t impressed and cleared his throat before continuing. “Yes, well, I’m going to run a few more tests and if all looks well, you’ll be released today. Please promise me you’ll follow the rules so your ICD can hold you off until you get a new heart.”

“Sorry, doc. I can’t make any promises.” She gave out a small laugh.

“Maya.” Lucas furrowed his eyebrows. “Please ignore her. I’ll make sure she follows the rules, eats right and exercises daily.” Lucas directed his attention to the doctor.

* * *

  
Later that afternoon, Maya signed her release forms and grabbed all of her stuff. Riley helped her change out of the gown and into comfortable clothes and a nurse wheeled her out on a wheelchair.

“I can walk on my own.” She slumped in her seat.

“Maya!” Riley nudged her.

“It’s hospital policy, ma’am. It’s our job to ensure that you leave the hospital safely.

They made it to Luxas’ truck and Lucas helped Maya get in the backseat. Riley rode in the front so Maya could spread her legs out and be more comfortable. The ride back was quiet, the only noise came from the radio station and the wind from outside. Maya was playing with the buttons on the door and rolled the windows up and down. 

When they got home, Farkle, Isadora and Zay were waiting for them. They had rearranged the apartment to make it more spacious and had cleaned the place up so Maya wouldn’t contact any germs. Zay made a vegetarian lasagna and fruit cocktail for dessert and began setting up the table.

“Hey, Maya.” Farkle greeted her and kissed her forehead.

“Hey, Farkle.” Maya kissed his nose and gave him a hug.

“You really gave us a scare. Promise me you won’t do that again.”

“I don’t plan on going back there, I promise.”

Isadora cut her way through Farkle and kissed Maya’s shoulder. “You can’t do that anymore, Maya. I won’t let you.”

“Isadora.”

“I don’t want to see you like that ever again. It wasn’t pretty. Promise me you’ll follow the rules and maintain a healthy life style.” Isadora’s eyes were wide.

“I promise.” She whispered.

* * *

  
The gang was all gathered eating their lunch. They were all smiles and laughs and as much as Maya wanted to enjoy it, she couldn’t. Her mind was a mess and she couldn’t stop thinking about how much her life had changed and she hadn’t even known it. She ate slowly, taking her time with each bite. When everyone finished eating, Farkle and Lucas got up to clear the table and put all the dishes in the sink. Farkle got the water running and took out a sponge and some dish soap from the cabinet.

“This doesn’t change anything, you know?” Farkle scrubbed the plates.

“What are you talking about?” Lucas leaned against the refrigerator and folded his arms across his chest.

“You coming back, it doesn’t change anything.” Farkle threw the sponge in the sink and turned to face Lucas.

“Yes it does, Farkle.” Lucas stepped forward, careful not to raise his voice. He didn’t want Maya to hear this conversation. “I came back for her.”

“Yeah, you also left her three hours prior and didn’t care about how that made her feel.”

“But I’m back. Things are different now.” Lucas was getting really annoyed. What was Farkle’s problem?

“Why, because she’s sick? You think you coming back is gonna fix everything?” He laughed bitterly and rolled his eyes. “You left her once and you can easily do it again. I know you’re used to solving everyone’s problems and playing the hero, but this out of your control.”

“What’s your problem, Farkle?” Lucas asked a little too loudly.

“You’re my problem, Lucas. You hurt her once and I’m not gonna let you do it again. Things are different and I don’t need you and your drama to ruin everything for her. She needs a new heart and if you think I’m going to let you break it again, you’re wrong. You’re not gonna get in the way of her getting a new heart. I’m not gonna let that happen.” They looked at each other for several moments until they were interrupted.

“Hey, everything okay over here?” Maya stood by the wall and looked at both boys carefully.

“Everything’s fine.” Farkle dried his hands on his shirt and walked out of the kitchen.

* * *

“What happened between you and Farkle today at lunch?” Maya asked, turning on her side.

They were both laying on her bed after it was decided that he would be spending the night to help Isadora and Maya.

“Nothing you need to worry about.” Lucas gave Maya a kiss on the lips.

“Lucas.” Maya put her hands on his chest and got on top of him.

“Seriously, everything is fine.” He laughed and continued giving Maya more kisses. “Now get off of me and go to sleep.”

“Why?” Maya kissed his neck and worked her way up to his lips. “Don’t you like this?”

“I do. You know I do, but the doctor said we had to take things slow and easy and this is the opposite of that.”

“But I’m kissing you slow, and it is easy. So technically, we’re not breaking any rules.” She continued to kiss him and in seconds, their kissing intensified. She took off his shirt and held onto the bed for support.

She was hungry for him and she wasn’t going to let her stupid heart stop her from living her life. She ran a hand through his hair and dug her nails in his back. “I’m happy...you’re back.” She said in between breaths.

He got up from the bed, picked her up and made out with her against the wall. He took off her shirt and bit her bottom lip, enough to get a reaction out of her. He kissed her shoulder and worked his way into her neck and smiled as she let out a small moan.

“Okay, we need to stop.” He was out of breath and his hair was a mess.

“What, why?” She tilted her head and furrowed her brows.

“Because your heartbeat is crazy fast. This is great, but we need to slow down.”

“You should take that as a compliment, Cowboy.” She continued to kiss him. They became one and for a moment, Maya forgot about all her worries. Her heart might of crapped out on her and she might be dying, but at this moment, with him, she had never felt more alive.

“Maya, please.” His voice was hoarse. He ran a hand down her arm and interlaced his fingers in hers.

“Just...stop talking.” She sunk into the kiss and sucked the inside of his neck.

“That’s enough, Maya.” He picked her up and walked to the bed.

Maya was out of breath and felt dizzy. He was right, she did need to take things slow, but she didn’t want to.

“What the fuck...is wrong with you?” She put a hand against the wall and collected herself, taking deep breaths and closing her eyes. “Do you not want me?” She sat back against the wall and opened her eyes.

“That’s not it and you know it.” He took a deep breath, crouched down and cupped her face. “I just wanna protect you, Shortstack. You’re not gonna get in the way of her getting a new heart. I’m not gonna let that happen. Farkle’s words replayed in Lucas’ mind. He tried to shake them off but deep down, he knew he was right.

* * *

  
“Why are you eating chips? I specifically told you to eat carrots.” Isadora snatched the bag of chips and tossed them in the trash.

The three girls were in the apartment lobby, watching people come in and out of the elevators. Maya was sitting down on the couch, her legs spread out at a weird angle.

“They’re low in sodium, Isa.” Maya whined and straightened up.

“This isn’t going to work if you don’t eat right, Maya.” Riley chimed in and Maya rolled her eyes in return.

“I’m getting really tired of you guys telling me what to do.” Maya spat.

“Well you kind of need a new heart to, ya know, live. So we’d really appreciate it if you cooperated and made things easier.” Isadora used that motherly voice and Maya hated it because she knew they were right but she ignored all reasoning and kept going.

“Yeah, well maybe I don’t want it. Did you guys think of that?” Maya got up from her seat and stepped into the elevator.

The girls followed her and Riley pressed a button so the elevator wouldn’t move. The doors closed and the girls were in the elevator, cornering Maya. She really needed to learn to keep her mouth shut.

“What do you mean you don’t want it?” Riley raised an eyebrow.

“I mean this is stupid and it’s not worth it.” Maya said in a low voice. She was digging herself into a deep hole.

“Are you insane?” Isadora raised her voice and rubbed her temples. “You promised,Maya. You freaking promised me that you would do everything possible so you could get a new heart and now you wanna just throw it all away?”

“Isadora, calm down.” Riley put a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“No, screw that.” Isadora snatched Riley’s hand from her shoulder. “Do you think it’s fun to see you unconscious in your room, go to the hospital and hear the doctor say that you need a new heart because the one you have failed you? Do you think it’s easy to watch you slowly die and feel helpless because this out of your control? To know that the only thing you can rely on are machines and tubes and wires?” The girl was in tears now and she angrily wiped them away. “It’s not Maya.”

“I’m sorry.” Maya’s voice was a whisper. She cupped Isadora’s face and tried to get the girl to look at her. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“Yeah, you don’t know shit, man.” Isadora pushed her away and pressed a button. “I love you, Maya but this isn’t gonna work if you don’t wanna try. I can’t and I’m not going to fight your battle for you. So go ahead, die a slow and painful death. Hell, my life isn’t at risk, yours is. So you can do with it whatever you please.” The elevator doors opened and the girl walked away and headed to her apartment.

* * *

  
“I think you should apologize, Maya.” Farkle threw a grape in the air and caught it in his mouth.

“We’re not exactly on speaking terms at the moment, Farkle.” Maya rested her head on her arm and slouched on her seat. “She left a note and said she wasn’t going to sleep here tonight. Anyway, are you ready to go work out? Let’s get this over with.” She grabbed her gym bag from the couch and swung it over her shoulder.

The gym was empty when they arrived and both Maya and Farkle were thankful. They didn’t exercise much and both thought it was a good idea to go together. They seemed lost and stared at all the exercise equipment. After moments of hesitation, they decided the best thing to do was run.

“So are you gonna tell me what you and Lucas were arguing about yesterday?” Maya asked while she tried to control her breathing.

“It doesn’t...matter.” Farkle seemed to be having more trouble than Maya.

“Yes it does, okay? I know you were arguing about me and I wanna know exactly what it was about and I wanna know now.” She came to a halt and drank from her water bottle.

“I know it’s not my place,” He began. “But I gave him a warning and I told him I wasn’t gonna let him get in the way of you getting a heart?”

“What are you talking about?” Maya sat down on a bench and wiped the sweat trickling down her forehead.

“He left, Maya. He left you and I know that hurt you. I don’t want to place doubts in your head, that’s not my intention, but I don’t want him to hurt you again.”

Maya said nothing and Farkle didn’t know if that was a good or bad sign. He waited several moments before speaking again.

“Are you...mad?” He asked carefully and looked into her eyes.

“No.” She said simply and tossed her water bottle in her gym bag. “Everything you do, you do because you care. I can’t be mad at you for that.”

“I love you, Maya Hart. Always.” He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead.

“I love you too, Farkle Minkus. Forever. Now let’s get out of here, I’m tired.” She grabbed his hand and they walked out.

* * *

  
“Hey, Shortstack.” Lucas greeted her as she walked inside.

“Huckleberry, could you please put a shirt on? We have a guest.” She pointed at Farkle.

“Don’t worry, Maya. I’m gonna go. I’ll call you, alright?” Farkle kissed her forehead and gave her a hug.

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Definitely.”

Maya shut the door behind her and plopped down on the couch. Lucas bent down and gave her an upside down kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he had to stop himself from sinking deeper.

“How was the gym?” He handed her some grilled chicken.

“It was pretty empty so Farkle and I were able to run comfortably.”

“You and Farkle make a pretty good team.” He sat down next to her and she put her feet on his lap.

“Yeah, we do. You’re gonna need to apologize to him. You know that, right?”

“No, Maya, I don’t.” His voice was stern. “I didn’t do anything.”

“For me?” She gave him puppy dog eyes. “Farkle’s my best friend and I don’t want things to be awkward in the group.”

“I’ll apologize when you apologize to Isadora.” He stuck his hand out for her to shake.

“She doesn’t wanna know anything about me. I really messed up but I need to give her some time.” She put the plate of chicken on the table and headed to her room. “I have to go to work tomorrow, so I’m going to bed. Don’t stay up too late, okay?”

* * *

  
“I love this painting.” A slender woman with long black hair and blue eyes said to Maya.

Maya was working on selling a few of her pieces. Today was a good day and she was working on selling her second piece of the day.

“Thank you. This piece is called Chaotic Silence”

“I love the color scheme and the blending technique. I think this would look great in my living room. I’ll give you one thousand dollars for it. What do you say?”

“That’s great.” Maya shook her hand and called an employee to help wrap the painting. “I have an art show next month where I’m going to present new material. This is my card.” She handed it to the woman.

“I’ll definitely come. You’re a great artist, Maya.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Maya handed the lady her receipt and Dave, her employee, loaded the painting into the woman’s car.

When she got home later that evening, Lucas was cooking dinner. She tossed her jacket on the couch and headed to her room. She changed out of her clothes, put on one of Lucas’ t-shirts and fixed her hair into a messy bun.

“What’s cooking?” She kissed Lucas and sat down on the counter.

“I’m making chicken parmesan stuffed peppers and a green salad. Are you hungry? They’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.” Lucas fed Maya a cucumber.

“I am starving.” Maya gave Lucas small kisses.

“How was work today?” Lucas got out some plates and set them on the table.

“It was great. I sold two pieces and handed out some of my cards and invitations to the art show next month .”

“You’re amazing, Maya Penelope Hart and I’m so lucky to be with you.”

“That’s so cheesy, Sundance.” Maya laughed and pushed Lucas away.

“I’m so lucky to be with you.” He spoke a little louder and picked Maya up. “I love you.”

She was still in his arms and he kissed her gently until they made it to the table. He grabbed their plates and served.

“How about we take this to the bedroom? Tomorrow’s Saturday, we could stay up and watch a movie?” Maya suggested and picked up her plate.

They both lay on the bed and ate their dinner in comfortable silence as they watched the movie. Maya had picked Burlesque and was on the verge of tears.

“Christina’s voice always gets me.” She wiped a tear away and Lucas handed her a tissue.

“Would you like to go out on a date?”

“Sure. What’s the occasion?” She turned and fixed all her attention on him.

“I just want to take you out.” He smiled and grabbed her plate.

They both faced the T.V. and watched the movie again. Moments later, Maya was sound asleep, cradled in Lucas’ chest.

* * *

  
“Do you think this is too much? I think this is too much.” Maya looked at herself in the mirror.

She wore a black dress with red roses that came down to her knees and black high heels. She wasn’t feeling very confident and Lucas’ vague explanation of their date didn’t help.

“It’s not too much, Maya. You look great.” Riley ran a hand through Maya’s hair to add volume and sat down on her bed to admire the girl.

Maya was quiet and sat down on the bed next to Riley. She absentmindedly played with a strand of her hair and that caught Riley’s attention.

“What’s wrong, Maya.” Riley grabbed her hand.

“I wish Isa was here. I haven’t seen her in three days.” Maya’s voice was small and Riley had to get closer to hear her.

“Have you tried talking to her?”

The girl nodded her head. “She doesn’t want to talk to me. There’s not much I can do.” She shrugged. “My art show is coming up and I’m scared she won’t make it.”

“Don’t think like that. She’s never missed a show and she’s not about to start now. Look, what you need to think about right now is how much fun you’re gonna have on this date, okay?”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Maya got up from the bed and Riley twirled her.

“C’mon,” She grabbed the girl’s hand. “Lucas is waiting for you in the living room.

Lucas’ breath hitched when he laid eyes on Maya. “Wow, Maya you look...wow.” He was at a loss for words.

“Thanks, Cowboy. You look pretty wow yourself.” Maya smiled and kissed his cheek. “Ready to go?” She waved Riley goodbye and they headed out the door.

“Will you stop being mysterious and tell me where we’re going?” Maya played with the knob on the radio, trying to look for a good station.

“Be patient, Shortstack. I’m not telling you, it’ll ruin the surprise.” He laughed and got out a blindfold.

“What the hell? Should I be scared?” Maya’s eyes were wide and she ignored the radio.

“Put this on.” Lucas handed her the blindfold. Maya took it and hesitantly put it on.

A few minutes later, Lucas parked and stopped the truck. He grabbed a backpack, opened Maya’s door and took her hand.

“Watch your step, babe.” He guides her off the truck.

“Where are we, Lucas?” Maya took slow and steady steps. She wasn’t always a fan of surprises and she didn’t like not knowing what Lucas had planned.

“C’mere. We made it.” He stood behind her and took off her blindfold.

“You brought me to a carnival?” Maya’s voice was full of surprise. She wasn’t expecting this.

“Not just any carnival. This is the carnival that I brought you to when I asked you to be my girlfriend, remember?” Lucas wore the biggest smile and took Maya’s hand.

“Wait, Huckleberry, I’m wearing a dress.” Maya came to a halt.

“Yeah, you are and you look amazing in it. What’s your point?” Lucas looked confused.

“Well, it’s not exactly carnival attire?” Maya said, pointing out the obvious.

Nonsense, sure it is.” Lucas dismissed her comment.

“Okay, well what about my shoes? I’m wearing heels.” She pointed down at her shoes and raised an eyebrow.

“I brought your black Vans.” He opened up the backpack and handed them to Maya.

She took them, put them on and tossed her heels in Lucas’ backpack.

They walked towards the ticket booth and planned what rides they would get on. Lucas had to be careful and take things slow so Maya wouldn’t get too tired, so he chose rides that weren’t that extreme.

“Let’s get on the rollercoaster!” Maya jumped up and down, full of excitement. She let go of Lucas’ hand and ran towards the line.

“Whoa, hey!” Lucas ran after her and grabbed her by the waist. “How about we turn it down a notch and get on something else?”

“Like what?” She already knew this date was going to be a disaster.

“Like the Ferris wheel?” He suggested.

“Lucas, I think my heart will manage if I get on a rollercoaster.” Maya rolled her eyes and didn’t move.

“Maya, the doctor said we had to take things slow.”

“Well then why the hell would you bring me to a carnival?” She was annoyed. “Fine, let’s get on this stupid ferris wheel because my stupid heart sucks. I hate being sick, it’s no fun.” She pouted and dragged her feet.

They made it to the ferris wheel and Lucas helped Maya up. Maya admired how beautiful the city looked from up there and took a few moments to take it all in. She scooted closer to Lucas and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry I’m such a pain.” She whispered to Lucas.

“You’re not a pain, Maya.” He cupped her face and kissed her head.

“I just hate being sick and I’m...scared. I’m really freaking scared, Lucas. Like, what if this doesn’t work? What if one day I just...”

“Hey.”

“And my heart gets worse and I...”

“Stop. Maya, Stop. Breathe, okay.” He helped her steady her breathing.

She was getting dizzy and began to see spots. Her side began to hurt with each breath she took. She grunted and closed her eyes. “Make it...stop.”

“We’re almost to the ground. Stay with me.” Lucas squeezed her hand.

They made it to the ground and Lucas picked Maya up and carried her back to the truck. She calmed down and held onto his shirt, tightly. He put her down, buckled her seatbelt and started the truck. The ride was silent. Lucas’ mind was on overdrive. He felt so helpless. Farkle was right, this was out of his control and as much as he wanted to save her, he knew he couldn’t.

“I ruined our date, I’m sorry.” Maya spoke up and her voice brought Lucas back to reality.

He cleared his throat and glanced at her. “You didn’t ruin it. Besides, the date’s not over yet. How are you feeling?” He took a left turn and parked his truck at the park.

“Better. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t there.”

“I’ll always be here, Maya. Now c’mon.” He grabbed his backpack and an oversized towel.

He spread out the towel on the ground, sat down and opened his backpack. He took out an assortment of food and snacks.

“I hope you’re hungry because I think I brought a little too much food.” He put the containers on the towel and took out plastic plates, forks and cups.

Maya snuggled into Lucas’ arms and laid down next to him. They looked up at the sky and watched the stars. Lucas felt warm against Maya’s skin and she was thankful to have him during this difficult time, but there was always a part of her that wondered how long this would last.

When they got home, Maya was on a high. Although her date didn’t go exactly as planned, she was certain it was one of the best dates she had, had. Lucas opened the door and Maya pushed him against the wall. She worked on his shirt and started undoing the buttons.

“Maya, what are you doing?” Lucas held her wrists and looked into her eyes.

“Stop talking and let me makeout with you.” She was down to her last button and tossed his shirt on the couch.

“Maya...”

“I’m craving dessert, okay?”

“Oh. Oh.” Lucas’ eyes were wide and he hesitated a moment before continuing. “Maya, are you sure?”

“Yes. I want this. I want you.” She reassured him. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. “Slow, okay?”

“Okay.” He pressed a kiss to her lips,unbuckled his belt and tossed his pants on a chair.

Maya followed suit and in seconds, she was sitting on Lucas’ lap. He took off her shirt and hung it over the bed frame.

“You’re so...beautiful.” He whispered, mostly to himself. He made his way up Maya’s back and took off her bra in one swift motion.

“Practice?” Maya asked playfully.

“Pure luck.” He began to kiss her neck.

Maya leaned forward and trailed her tongue down Lucas’ bottom lip and bit softly. She dug her nails into his hair and kissed him with an intimacy and force she had deep inside. She let out small moans as Lucas kissed her chest and gently cupped one of her breasts. Her body felt hot and cold all at the same time. She guided her hand down his abdomen and thrusted forward. She was gasping for air. She was in pain but she didn’t care, she wanted to keep going, make this moment last forever. She kissed his chin and captured his lips once more and moaned as she bit his lip and teeth.

Lucas’ fingers were lost in her hair. He held her tight and kissed her softly and gently bit her ear. Her breath was hot against his neck and it sent a chill down his spine.

The next morning, Maya was still sleeping and Lucas turned on his side and admired her. She wasn’t completely covered and her scar was visible. He examined it carefully and traced the outline with his finger. He kissed her shoulder and whispered in her ear.

“Wake up,Sleepyhead.” He hugged her and she moaned.

“What time is it?” She kissed him, sleepily.  
“It’s 9.” He scratched his head when she didn’t say anything. So...uhh last night was amazing.”

“Mhmm.” She tossed on her side, eyes still closed. “But I’m really tired so go back to sleep.” She covered his eyes with her hand and pulled him towards her.

She found him in the living room, moving the couch and coffee table, when she got out of bed.

“What are you doing?” She looked at him and gave him a kiss on the lips.

There was something I didn’t get a chance to do last night.” He grunted as he pushed the couch further back.

He ran to the kitchen, grabbed his phone from the counter and scrolled through his playlist. He extended his hand and Maya grabbed it without hesitation.

“Dance with me.” The music started playing and Lucas started singing some of the lyrics.

But I won’t hesitate no more, no more  
It cannot wait, I’m yours.

“You are a dream, Maya Hart and I don’t want to wake up.” He whispered in her ear.

“I love you, Lucas.” She pulled him in and they got lost in a passionate kiss, with the music playing in the background.

* * *

One Month Later

“Will you stop pacing?” Riley put her hands on Maya’s shoulders.

“I can’t. I’m really nervous.” Maya took a deep breath.

She opened the blinds and peered through the glass doors at all the people waiting for her show to begin. She wore a navy blue striped pant suit with beige heels. Her hair was a mess of waves and she was sporting a side braid. She straightened her blazer, spotted Lucas and walked towards him.

“Anything?” She took a glass of champagne and looked around the room.

“No, but I’m sure she’ll be here. Zay promised he would get her to come.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” She eyed the stage and took Lucas’ hand so he could walk her. “The show has to start.”

She walked up to the stage, took the microphone of the stand and tapped it.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen.” She began “My name is Maya Hart and I want to thank everyone who took time out of their day to come to this event. This is a large crowd and I hope you enjoy yourselves. I’ll be walking around and talking to everyone, so don’t be shy. Also, I want to thank the catering service for their delicious food and amazing champagne.”

She set the mic down and Lucas helped her down. Many people came up to her and asked her many questions about her paintings. How long it took her to paint a piece, where she got the inspiration etc. They were all interested and she gathered many buyers for different pieces. She was having a great time and knew this was good news for the gallery, but Isadora not being there wasn’t allowing her to enjoy the show.

After everyone bought almost all of her pieces, Maya went up the stage again and held onto the rail. She was beginning to shake and her legs felt weak. She made it to the stage and took the mic. She cleared her throat and tapped it.

“I just...” She took a moment to collect herself. “Umm...I want to thank everyone who came out and supported this event.”

Her hands were trembling and her vision was hazy. She gasped for air and her body felt hot. In a matter of seconds, she felt a shock and collapsed on the floor. Her eyes rolled back and she started shaking uncontrollably.

“Maya!” Lucas ran up the stage and quickly turned her on her side. “Call an ambulance! Someone call an ambulance!”

* * *

  
“What happened?” Farkle and Lucas said in unison and ran to the doctor.

“She had a stress induced seizure. Her ICD reacted and sent shockwaves, which made things worse.”

“So what now?” Farkle asked.

“She’s stable and her ICD seems to be working fine. We gave her sedation to rest and if she reacts well, she’ll be out of here tomorrow.”

“Can we see her?” Isadora came running towards the group. They were all startled to see her.

“Yes, but one at a time.” The doctor told them what room she was in and headed back to the front desk.

“You wanted to get my attention? Well I’m here, you got it.” Isadora stepped into the room and laid down next to Maya on the bed. “I’m sorry,Maya. I should’ve never left you.” The bed was small and she did her best not to move. Maya was peacefully sleeping.

* * *

  
“You said she was okay.” Lucas snarled at the doctor.

“She was, but a seizure can happen at any given moment.” The doctor looked through some paperwork.

“When we came last week, you said everything was fine and that she’d have her heart soon. Will that still happen?”

“Yes. We have to keep a close eye on her, but all the tests point to her being eligible for a new heart.” He took out a pager and handed it to Lucas.

“What’s this?” Lucas took it and examined it carefully.

“This is a pager.” The doctor explained. “Maya is going to be a top priority. Her name is on the transplant list and as soon as we have a heart, this pager will inform you.”

Lucas smiled and squeezed the pager. “Just like that?”

“Well, we’ll run tests to see if the heart is a good match and do everything possible so her body doesn’t reject it. If all goes well, Maya will have a new heart and be able to live her life normally.”

* * *

  
“How did you know we were here, Isadora?” Lucas took a seat and scooted closer to Maya’s bed.

“I went to her show.” Isadora couldn’t take her eyes off of the girl.

“You did? But we kept an eye out to see if you would come and we never saw you.” Lucas scratched his head.

“I got lost in the crowd, but I was there and I saw everything.” She let out a deep breath and wiped a tear that was rolling down her face. “I can’t see her like this, Lucas. How much longer?” She held Maya’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

She was surprised when the blonde squeezed back and her eyes slowly fluttered open. She looked lost and her eyes were glassy. It was hard to keep them open. She looked around the room and locked eyes with the raven haired girl.

“Isa...you’re here.” She let out a small laugh.

“I’m not leaving you again, Maya. I’m so sorry.” She put Maya’s hand on her cheek.

“How long have I been out? What happened?” The blonde sat up. She was sore and her arms felt weak.

“They gave you sedation so you could rest. I’d say about two hours.” Lucas folded his arms.

“What happened?” Maya looked at both of them and waited for them to answer.

Isadora glanced at Lucas and when he said nothing, she spoke up. “You had a seizure, Maya.”

“What?”

“It’s taken care of. The doctor said you have to take it easy and rest but you’re going to be okay, all things considered.” Isadora sat by the foot of the bed.

* * *

  
“I don’t care what we watch. There’s not much to choose from anyway, just pick a channel already.”

The pair were in the hospital room trying to find a decent channel, to pass the time. Isadora had fallen asleep on the couch and was curled into a ball. Lucas finally found a good channel and immediately got lost in a western movie with horrible special effects.

“Lucas, I need to talk to you.” Maya’s mind was on overdrive. She needed to get this over with, say it before she regretted it and get it over with.

“Hold on, Maya we can talk later. I don’t think I’ve seen this movie.” He waved her off.

“Lucas.” She was getting annoyed. She needed to say it now.

“Can this wait?” He didn’t even look away from the screen.

“This isn’t working anymore.” She said out loud.

“What?” He was taken aback and turned off the television.

“This. Us. It’s not working. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” She couldn’t look him in the eyes. She didn’t dare.

“What are you talking about? Maya, this doesn’t make any sense. Look, you’re on a bunch of meds right now and...”

“And I don’t want to be with you anymore. I’m really sorry.”

Lucas got up from his seat and kneeled by Maya’s bed. “Did I do something wrong?” He didn’t even know where to begin, what questions to ask.

He cupped her face and gave her gentle kisses.

“Stop.”

“We can figure this out.” He continued to kiss her.

“Stop. I don’t know what’s going on, but you don’t have to end things, Shortstack.”

“Lucas, stop.” Her voice was cold, angry. She pushed him away, grabbed her IV stand and got out of bed. “You don’t have a future with me! Can’t you see that? Just go, okay?”

“Yes I do, Maya. That’s all I want. I just wanna be with you. My future isn’t worth it if you’re not with me.” He took a few steps towards her, while she took some back. “Besides,” He picked his words carefully. “You’re getting better.”

“I’m getting worse!” She looked at Isadora. She didn’t want to wake her up and wished Lucas would make this easier. “I just had a seizure for crying out loud! My heart is shit and I might not even make it to get a new one.”

Lucas took out the pager from his pocket and handed it to Maya.

“What is that?” She was tired and began to feel light.

“It’s a pager. You’re on the list...and when they have a new heart for you, this will let you know. Please don’t do this, Maya.”

She walked to the door and opened it. Letting out a deep breath she didn’t even realize she was holding, she looked at Lucas, determination in her eyes and said her next words carefully.

“Lucas, I’m done. We’re done. I want you to leave and not come back. Your plan was to go to Texas, right? Well you can do that now.”

Lucas didn’t say anything. He just picked up his jacket and walked out the door. Maya watched him go, his form getting smaller with each step he took. Deep in her heart, she tried to convince herself that it was for the best.

* * *

  
“Stop moping. You broke up with him, remember?” Farkle tossed the remote and glared at Maya.

She was slouched on the couch and every few seconds, she would let out a deep breath. Farkle had invited himself over to watch Teen Wolf and was doing a horrible job at distracting. It had been three weeks since her art show and her breakup with Lucas. Because she had been the one to end things, she thought it would be easier, but it wasn’t. Lucas would still call and send messages but she wouldn’t answer any of them.

“Gee, thank you, Dr. Seuss.” Maya rolled her eyes. I don’t need you to tell me that, Farkle. You weren’t even in the room.”

“Lucas told me what happened when he was leaving the hospital. He looked really upset, Maya and this is one of the stupidest things you’ve done.”

“I did it to protect him. He can’t have a life with me.” She didn’t seem very convinced.

“Yes he can! You just won’t let him.” He headed to the kitchen and brought back some jell o cups. “You’re hurting him but most importantly, you’re hurting yourself. You’ve managed to ruin one of the good things you had left.” He bit into the apple and continued watching the show.

* * *

  
Maya was in her art studio. Her highschool art teacher’s words replayed in her mind as she mixed purple and blue. Inspiration has no hours. That’s how she found herself one Thursday at three in the morning. She didn’t have a specific idea as to what she was painting, but she let her mind wander and her hands create.

There was a knock on the door that startled her and she knocked her paintbrush, spilling paint on the scattered newspapers.

She jumped when she saw Isadora standing outside, soaked from head to toe.

“Are you crazy? Isa, you can’t startle someone with a serious heart condition like that! What are you even doing here?” She pulled the girl out of the rain and ran to the back to get towels.

“When I woke up for my midnight snack, you were gone. I somehow knew I’d find you here and I was right.” The girl looked very proud of herself. “Maya, why are you here? Let’s go home.”

“I can’t.” She whispered.

“Why not?”

“Because when I’m home, my mind automatically starts thinking about him and I don’t want to do that. I just...I want everything to stop. I just wish it would all stop. I’m so tired of being sick.”

“Maya...”

“I hate waking up in a stupid hospital bed, connected to tubes and wires. I’m sick of feeling limited and having to take medication. This is what my life has become, Isadora. I don’t want that. So as much as it hurts, I tried to save him from it. This isn’t living.” She covered her face with her hands.

Isadora rubbed her back and kissed her head. “Maya, let’s go home. You need to rest.” She helped Maya up, began putting everything back in its place and cleaning up.

Isadora was giving Maya a piggyback ride when they got home and the girls plopped on the couch. Isadora turned on the T.V. and in minutes, both girls were sound asleep.

The next morning Maya woke up early and decided to take a shower. The hot water felt good against her skin and she allowed herself to relax. She put on an oversized t-shirt that sagged on her shoulders and came down to her knees. When she entered the kitchen, Isadora was making breakfast.

“Hey, you’re just in time. I made breakfast burritos.” She smiled at Maya and handed her a plate.

“Thanks but I’m not hungry.” Maya sat down on a stool and scrolled through her phone.

“That’s not an option, Maya. You have to eat. The doctor said...”

“I know what the doctor said, Isadora, but I’m not hungry and you can’t force me to eat.”

“Are we gonna start this again?” Isadora grabbed the plate and put it back in its place.

Maya walked out of the kitchen and went back to her room. She knew it was stupid of her. She knew the doctor was right and it wasn’t smart of her to skip meals, but she wanted to be in control, even if it was for a moment.

Later in the day, Maya came out of her room and found herself alone in the apartment. There was a note on the coffee table from Isadora, who had gone to run some errands. Maya was starting to feel shaky and lightheaded and decided it was best if she ate. There was a knock on the door and she put down her cup to answer it.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your keys, Isa...” She opened the door and was surprised to see who was standing there. “You’re not, Isadora.” Her voice was low.

“No, no I’m not.” Lucas stood in front of her and leaned back against the wall. “Are you gonna let me in or you just gonna let me stand out here?” He raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“What are you doing here, Lucas?” She moved away from the door and he took it as a sign and walked in.

“Well you haven’t been answering my calls. I was worried.” He followed her into the kitchen and sat down.

“We’re not together anymore, so...”

“That doesn’t take away the fact that I care about you. I mean we can still be friends, right?”

Maya suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest. She closed her eyes and took small, subtle deep breaths. Lucas didn’t seem to notice.

“I just need some...space.” She mumbled and clenched her fists.

Her breathing technique wasn’t working and she could only hear bits and pieces of Lucas’ rambling. A shiver ran down her spine and it was getting hard to keep her eyes open. She felt a painful shock from her ICD that made her body feel tense and light. Her head rolled back and Lucas caught her.

“Maya? Damn it, not again! Maya, please!” Lucas heard a beeping sound, set Maya on the ground and found her pager under the couch. It was beeping uncontrollably and tears formed in his eyes as he realized what that meant. “You’re getting a new heart, Shortstack! You’re gonna be okay.” He kissed her forehead and carried her out.

A paramedic was waiting for him outside of the hospital and helped Lucas get Maya out of his truck. She was put on a gurney and they wheeled her in immediately. Lucas ran after them and a nurse stopped him before he could go on.

“This is as far as you go, sir.” The nurse put a hand on his shoulder and told him to wait in the waiting room.

When he got there, everyone was waiting for him.

“What happened?” Zay asked.

“Yeah, we got here as soon as you called.” Farkle chimed in. “I’m surprised I didn’t get a ticket for speeding.”

“I went to see Maya. She fainted and her pager started going off.” Lucas ran a hand through his hair as he explained.

“Does that mean she’s getting a new heart?” Farkle’s eyes were bright and his smile wide.

“Yeah, man. That’s exactly what it means.

A few minutes passed and Maya’s doctor came out through the door.

“We’ve run all the necessary tests and it looks like it’s a match. I suggest you make yourselves comfortable because it will be a long surgery.” The doctor patted the boy’s shoulders and headed back towards the doors.

* * *

“These surgeries take a long time, Lucas.” Riley eyed him as he went from seat to seat. “We just have to wait.”

“I’m tired of waiting.” Lucas spat and if he was being completely honest, he was really just tired.

The gang had been at the hospital for hours now and they still didn’t have news. He didn’t have the patience to wait any longer. This was agonizing. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

After what seemed like forever, the doctor finally came out through the double doors. He wiped sweat that was trickling down his forehead and walked towards the gang.

“Congratulations everyone!” He announced. “The surgery was a success. Maya is a fighter.”

The gang all hugged and waited for the doctor to say more.

  
“She’s not completely out of the woods yet. The first forty eight hours are crucial. They’re preparing a room for her to be comfortable and we’ll see how she spends the night. She’s intubated and nurses will go in her room every thirty minutes to check on her.”

“Can we see her?” Lucas asked. He couldn’t wait for the doctor to answer.

“I’m afraid not.” The man responded.

“What? Why?”

“She’s come out of a very delicate and critical surgery, Mr. Friar. She can’t have visitors yet. It’s hospital policy. You can see her from the window. Take it or leave it.”

Lucas watched Maya’s still body through the window. There were so many machines and wires, Maya almost disappeared.

“You made it, Shortstack. Just keep fighting a little bit longer, okay?”

* * *

  
Lucas was asleep, resting his head on Maya’s chest when he felt a light nudge. He quickly opened his eyes and cleared his throat.

“Maya?” He whispered and stroked the girl’s cheek.

“You need to...shave.” The girl whispered and blinked slowly.

Lucas let out a laugh and kissed her forehead. “I don’t know, Maya, I kind of like this new look.”

“What happened?” She took off her oxygen mask and rubbed her eyes.

“You had surgery. You have a new heart.”

“I do?” Her eyes felt heavy but she fought to keep them open.

“You do.”

“No more stupid ICD?” Maya couldn’t believe it.

Moments of comfortable silence passed and Lucas tried to convince her to go back to sleep. She felt groggy but was tired of sleeping.

“Lucas, I’m sorry.” She spoke softly.

“Maya, we don’t have to talk about that right now.”

“But I want to.”

“You need to rest.”

“I should’ve never broken up with you.” She interrupted him. “I should’ve never tried to push you away. I’m sorry.”

“He sat down on the bed and stroked her hair. “You don’t have to apologize. I understand why you did it, but it’s all in the past now, forgotten.”

“I really wanna kiss you right now.” Maya leaned forward.

“Well I just might let you.” His hand got lost in her hair as he pulled her close.

* * *

  
Months Later

The gang were all gathered in the girl’s apartment watching a movie. They felt like sardines, everyone was squeezing together, trying to all fit. It had been months since Maya’s surgery. She was lucky and was given a second chance and for that, she was thankful.

“I love you guys.” She grabbed everyone’s attention.

“We love you too, Maya.” Riley answered.

“These past months have been crazy. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I didn’t have all of you.”

“Maya, we’re so happy that you now have a new heart and we can finally put all of this behind us.” Isadora reached out for her hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

“People are going to come in and out of our lives. Promise me we’ll always stay together, that we’ll remain.” Maya turned and looked at every one of her friends.

“We promise.” They all said in unison.

Maya got up, sat on the floor and faced them. “Big world?”

Everyone nodded. “Ours now.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading. comments and kudos are welcome. i’m on tumblr @maad-maxx


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